So your definition of dead basically means that a living server is a hell for any player not 104 or higher? I like the game, my guild is very active in chat and in Line. But we have no chance in hell of overtaking the topguild and getting one round beyond prelims is a mayor achievement. Because each server in our brackets has guilds where all topplayers flocked to. It is something that the GT made happen (more).

Also, I think Ucool would define it in terms of; "how much money is being spend on this server?"

You want servers become alive? Decrease the size of guilds. Make sure guilds cannot be all topplayers (max power of he whole guild, or fixed amount of players per level or...) or something similar. Or put all powerguilds in their own competition, giving second tiers a chance to play as well.

Now, servers die (dead as your definition) because people quit since getting anywhere when your behind in Arena, Power, GT or whatever is virtually impossibel (aside from spending thousands of dollars). Make sure it's fun for everybody, otherwise, with the merger, the same thing will happen. Topdogs will be created, below top 100 will quit at some point.

everywhere, it could happen soon or late depend on when server's all high-VIP players agree to join in 1 guild. The dying status should base on other guilds than 1st, 2nd and 3rd guilds, let say the rest of server feel too bored to play and quit -> more boring and more quit.